As Long As I Can
by Devlinn Reiko
Summary: OneShot. Hatake Sakumo searches for Kakashi during a storm unaware of Kakashi's reason for being out in the storm. Please Read


**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.**

**After grueling months of not updating I've decided to try something new before going back to my other fanfictions. Hopefully this will one will work.**

**This was inspired by a drawing I did earlier today of Sakumo and Kakashi.**

**Anyways enjoy this one-shot.

* * *

**

The small room was a lit by the lighting which flashed across the sky through the window. There was shuffling in the room as someone moved around from where they were seated on the floor.

Hatake Sakumo stood and walked over to the window. Looking out he noticed the dark clouds that had swiftly taken over the once clear sky. Turning around he gently placed the kunai he was sharpening on the table before leaving the room. Walking through the hallway of the small house he owned, Sakumo stepped quietly over a mildly large white dog which had been resting in the hall. The dog woke up seeing his master leave and gracefully stood up and stretched before trotting after Sakumo.

Sakumo made his way to the front door, slipped on his sandals and opened it stepping outside into the recent windy atmosphere with the white dog following. Turning around he scratched the dog behind the ears.

"Shall we go see where Kakashi has ended up, Yukimori?" Sakumo asked the dog. The dog gave Sakumo a nudged to his hand wagging his tail. Sakumo smirked and gave a pat before putting his hands in his pockets and walked down the street. A gust of wind swept through his path making his long, wild hair whip around.

'_Where could that boy have gotten to? I told him to stay around the others_.' Sakumo thought to himself. Lightning pierced the sky again, followed shortly by a loud clasp of thunder.

'_It's getting closer_.' Sakumo analyzed, hoping to find Kakashi quickly and take shelter from the storm.

Ten minutes of walking around and Sakumo had yet to find Kakashi. It had started to rain lightly but instinct was telling Sakumo that it would be pouring very shortly. Up ahead Yukimori was frantically sniffing out Kakashi's scent, finding it harder with every raindrop that hit the ground. The dog trotted towards an area with a few gathering of trees. Sakumo scanned the area quickly spotting the mismatch of white in the green trees. Walking over to the area he stopped at the base of a tree and shook his hair of rain before looking up with a small smile on his face.

"Are you trying to imitate a monkey now by living in the trees?" Sakumo asked lightly. The small figure in the trees peered shyly down at Sakumo. Sakumo saw the dark eyes starring down at him sensing once again the loneliness in them. Sighing Sakumo took his hands out of his pockets and extended them.

"Come on Kakashi. I don't want you out here when this storm gets really angry. You'll be all wet and you'll get sick." Sakumo chided waiting for Kakashi to jump down into his arms.

"Aren't shinobi supposed to be able to face any kind of weather?" Came a very soft and quiet voice from Kakashi. Sakumo resisted the urge to sigh at Kakashi's ever present outlook on life.

"Yes, but not a five year old boy. You're going to end up sick and then the 'brave shinobi Kakashi' will have to face the nurses." Sakumo lazily replied.

"I'm five and a half." Was the reply Sakumo received.

"All right five and a half. Can we go now? I really don't want to be out here when this rain gets even worse." Sakumo said as a loud rumble of thunder echoed throughout causing both father and son to shift a little. Kakashi swayed as if deciding whether to stay for a moment before jumping off the branch and landing in his father's strong arms. Yukimori nudged Kakashi's foot before turning around to trot back home.

Sakumo walked a little before jumping over a few houses careful not to slip with Kakashi in his arms before landing on the road which led to their house. The rain was a little heavier, but Sakumo could see the house and walked the rest of the way feeling Kakashi clutched his dark navy blue shirt tighter as the rain soaked their clothes. Shifting a bit he tried to shield Kakashi a bit more for the last few paces to the house. Coming to the steps he walked up them two at a time before finding shelter under the small edgings of the roof. Shaking the rain from his hair he opened the door and entered the warm house and held the door open for Yukimori to scamper in before closing and locking the door.

Slipping off his sandals he pulled Kakashi's off too before placing them next to his. With Kakashi still in his arms he walked the short trip to the washroom turning on the light and setting Kakashi on the edge on the sink. Grabbing a towel he started to dry Kakashi's soaked hair.

"I can do it." Sakumo heard Kakashi mumbled, head covered by the towel. Smirking he stopped and watched as two pale arms came out from under the towel and attempted to continue drying his hair.

"Okay you do that while I get you dry clothes." Sakumo said walking out of the washroom and spotted Yukimori shaking his wet fur managing to wet the walls and front door. Sakumo reminded himself to dry Yukimori when he was finished with Kakashi. Another burst of lightning lit up the dark room followed by thunder. Sakumo quickly grabbed a dry pair of clothes for Kakashi before making his way back.

Entering the washroom he saw that Kakashi was done and that his wild hair was unbelievable wilder. Stepping in front of Kakashi he untied the bindings around Kakashi's ankles.

"I thought you were going to stay with the others not go off on your own." Sakumo started the conversation with. Kakashi was silent for a moment before answering.

"I did go, but they didn't want me there." Kakashi said. Sakumo had already heard Kakashi's attempts toplay with the others before and decided not to go too deep.

"Still, you should have come back then or at least stayed closer to the house." Sakumo replied finishing with the bindings before slipping his fingersunder Kakashi's mask and pulling it over his little head. Kakashi sniffed a minute before raising his head. A solemn childish unmarked face stared at Sakumo.

Sakumo wrung out the water in the mask before placing the mask in the sink. Sakumo did the same for the rest of Kakashi's clothes before putting dry ones on.

"You didn't bring another mask?" Kakashi asked.

"You don't have anymore and plus I don't think you're going out today. You're fine." Picking Kakashi up, he put the five year old on the ground before grabbing a few towels for himself and pushing Kakashi out of the washroom and guiding him into the kitchen.

"Why don't you make us some tea while I finish getting dry?" Sakumo said before turning around and walking to his own room. Kakashi did so pushing a chair to the counter before climbing onto it. He grabbed the kettle and filled it and soon enough had the water boiling. Jumping off the chair silently his brought the cups he had grabbed and set them down on the table.

Sakumo entered the kitchen and grabbed the kettle from the stove. Pouring the tea, they settled down across from each other.

After a while they finished their tea and Sakumo had put away the cups into the sink.

"What am going to do now dad?" Sakumo shrugged.

"What do you want to do? Are you done reading?" Kakashi nodded telling his father he had finished a few days ago.

"Well, I suppose you can help me with my weapons." Sakumo said watching Kakashi perk at that. Sakumo turned around and grinned as he heard Kakashi follow him back to where he originally was working. Entering the room he sat done and grabbed the kunai he had been working on before.

"What can I do?" Kakashi asked looking around the room. Sakumo looked up and nodded to a pile behind Kakashi.

"You can rebind those." Kakashi nodded quickly getting to task. The room became quiet except for the sound of the storm outside.

Time passed and after a few hours of working Sakumo finished his work turning around to check on Kakashi who was lying on his side. For a moment Sakumo's heart jumped thinking that maybe Kakashi had stabbed himself accidentally with a kunai that slipped from his hands. He had seen so many comrades lying like that that the reaction came instinctively. Further inspection Sakumo relaxed noticing that Kakashi was breathing peacefully, tired from the day.

Sighing Sakumo rubbed his face before moving over to his son. Moving away what Kakashi had finished, Sakumo scooped up his son and stood, slowly walking to Kakashi's room. Not bothering to turn on the lights he slipped Kakashi into the bed pulling the covers over the small form. Resting a hand on Kakashi's left cheek he noticed that it felt clammy like Kakashi had been crying.

"Dad?" Kakashi asked groggily waking up and peering up at his father through squinted eyes.

"Were you crying Kakashi?" Sakumo asked trying to figure out what was wrong with his son. Kakashi didn't answer causing Sakumo to guess that something was wrong.

"What's wrong Kakashi?"

"…"

"I really don't want to play any guessing games trying to figure out what's wrong Kakashi." Sakumo sighed as Kakashi didn't answer.

"Okay, you come to me if you want to. Or keep it bottled up okay?" Sakumo said standing up from the bed. Walking towards the door Sakumo heard the sheets rustling a bit. Getting to the door Sakumo gave up on asking Kakashi.

"Dad…" Kakashi said quietly. Sakumo turned around and leant against the doorframe.

Kakashi gripped the covered and clenched them in his small hands. He saw his father turn around and stop at the door. Calling out to him, he looked down not wanting to face his dad.

He barely heard his father's footsteps as they came back to the bed. Looking up he saw his father's relaxed face.

"You're not going to leave me are you?" He asked looking away from his father. Sakumo's face became confused. Where did Kakashi come up with this idea?

"Why do you think that, Kakashi?" Sakumo prodded. Kakashi shifted under the gaze.

"The others…" Sakumo immediately sighed at the mention of _the others_. Whenever Kakashi mentioned _the others_ it wasn't anything optimistic.

"What about them?"

"When you told me to go out and play with them I did, but…when I went over to them they wouldn't let me play with them. They said that it wasn't fair because…" Kakashi said slowly.

"Because what?" Kakashi shifted again. Sakumo reached out and grabbed Kakashi's chin turning his head to face him. He didn't like Kakashi not looking at him when he spoke. Kakashi averted his eyes.

"Look at me Kakashi." Sakumo said sternly. Dark eyes found their way to Sakumo's. "Because of what?"

"Because it wasn't fair that my dad came back from the last mission when theirs didn't. You'll come back from the next mission right?" Kakashi finished looking at his father with one of the saddest expressions Sakumo had ever seen. Sakumo was stunned by the response. Inside he was shocked at what the children thought nowadays. To go as far as to put his own faults on his son.

He relaxed his grip on Kakashi's chin resting his hand on the small shoulder.

"Is that what they're believe now?" Sakumo asked quietly. Kakashi didn't reply.

"You won't leave me will you?" Kakashi asked quietly. Sakumo didn't know exactly what to tell Kakashi. He knew what his job entitled him to do and the risks he committed himself to. Looking at his son he sighed and gave Kakashi a small smile.

"I'll stay for as long as I can." Sakumo said hoping that it would be enough for Kakashi. Apparently it was good enough for a five and a half year old. Kakashi let out a small smile on his face and nodded. Sakumo smiled back ruffling Kakashi's hair.

"Good, now why don't you go back to sleep and I'll wake you up for dinner." Sakumo told Kakashi. Kakashi pouted at the idea, but Sakumo wasn't going to let it work this time.

"No pout this time, the Hokage wanted to see you tomorrow remember? Beside you want your face to turn out all droopy?"

"Like Jiraiya-sensei?" Kakashi said innocently. Sakumo choked on laughter. '_I'll have to remember to tell Jiraiya that'_ Sakumo thought.

"Perhaps. Sleep for now." Sakumo said tucking Kakashi in. Kakashi smiled at his father before closing his eyes. Sakumo ruffled his hair one last time before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.

Leaning against the closed door Sakumo sighed and closed his eyes. He hated what was started to become of him. His actions affected Kakashi. He couldn't escape anything anymore. Every escape from reality was slowing disappearing. Sighing dejectedly Sakumo opened his eyes and pushed himself from Kakashi's door. Turning down the hall he walked to the kitchen.

* * *

**I couldn't stop once I started. LoL. I didn't intend for this ending but I gotta take what my mind gives.**

**Hopefully you enjoyed reading this.**

**Please Review!**

**DevlinnReiko**


End file.
